rollbar/chassis stiffening

[VTStang66]

Hey everybody, long time no post. I have been busy with everything from school to work to dealing with all the little hangups on this 2000 Ranger I bought a month ago, but I'm finally ready to dive back into the '66 fastback. I've been itching to get to work on it.

The car has a lot of new parts (suspension, brakes, tremec 3550, engine, currie 4.10 8", all new wiring, and a few other things). It's basically sound but I just want to go through the whole car again now that I have time and it's not my driver, and get it 100% the way I always wanted it. I'm starting with the chassis.

I already have some TCP subframes and the crossbrace. I want to put a rollbar in, and I was looking in my mustangs unlimited catalog. They have one that works with the stock rear seat, and they have the "race" version that involves deleting the rear seat. I'm wondering how much better the race one is? I don't really need the rear seat, but if the difference in strength is marginal, it might be nice to keep it. The rollbars don't look too different except the race one has an extra cross piece (seat belt mounting?) and the rear sections reach farther back. Will one work better with the subframes? Also I want to do 3 or probably 4 point belts; do I need the extra crossmember of the race bar to mount those?

I'm not trying to build a race car, but I'd like to end up with something around 400 horsepower that I can drive when I want to, but not all the time. Like I said, rear seat might be nice but is definitely not necessary. I'm just trying to get an idea of the pros and cons of the race bar. And if anybody has a better idea than those 2 options, I'm open. Thanks.

 

[CraigMBA]

I'm going to buy the Autopower job with the bar behind the shoulders of the driver and passenger so I have a safe place to mount the four point belts.

I don't know if you're fastback is any different than my coupe, but the rear seat is about useless. All I seem to put in mine is an EZ Up......I'll still have room for that.

 

[rbohm]

look at the specs for each bar. you may find that the cheaper roll bar is a show only type bar, made from tubing that is rather thin walled, though thicker than muffler moly.

 

[jason@gmachine]

Hey everybody, long time no post. I have been busy with everything from school to work to dealing with all the little hangups on this 2000 Ranger I bought a month ago, but I'm finally ready to dive back into the '66 fastback. I've been itching to get to work on it.

The car has a lot of new parts (suspension, brakes, tremec 3550, engine, currie 4.10 8", all new wiring, and a few other things). It's basically sound but I just want to go through the whole car again now that I have time and it's not my driver, and get it 100% the way I always wanted it. I'm starting with the chassis.

I already have some TCP subframes and the crossbrace. I want to put a rollbar in, and I was looking in my mustangs unlimited catalog. They have one that works with the stock rear seat, and they have the "race" version that involves deleting the rear seat. I'm wondering how much better the race one is? I don't really need the rear seat, but if the difference in strength is marginal, it might be nice to keep it. The rollbars don't look too different except the race one has an extra cross piece (seat belt mounting?) and the rear sections reach farther back. Will one work better with the subframes? Also I want to do 3 or probably 4 point belts; do I need the extra crossmember of the race bar to mount those?

I'm not trying to build a race car, but I'd like to end up with something around 400 horsepower that I can drive when I want to, but not all the time. Like I said, rear seat might be nice but is definitely not necessary. I'm just trying to get an idea of the pros and cons of the race bar. And if anybody has a better idea than those 2 options, I'm open. Thanks.

If you are going to be mounting 3-4 point belts then i strongly suggest that you have the cross bar. The added strength to the overall structure is going to be minimal because to add serious strength you will need to triangulate the main hoop. Then you start creating triangulation in the structure then you will drastic changes in the overall rigity of the entire cage setup. I would not run those belts if you dont have the proper mounting for them and at least a roll bar setup. I also strongly suggest getting something built, but if you are set on Autopower then i also suggest that you have it plated and welded into the chassis rather then bolting it in.


now i do have a safe alternative to what you are looking for,

one, make a removable harness bar like this one so that you can remove it when you would like to, and still maintain the strength of the special machined units that we use.

two, or have a section that is removable like the harness bar and cross bar such as this.

now, for the rear seat. I do not suggest using it with a roll bar or cage but it you do then i would only use it a low speed and keep tall people from sitting back there because they could get hurt from the bars instead of saved.

Just my 2 pennies!

Jason

 

[mikethebike]

I think you are better-off going to a race shop and having a cage built inside your car. I've never seen a kit that didn't require as much work to make it fit properly than did a shop built cage. Just a thought.

 

[jboth]

i agree, if u get a well buit cage put in your car from a speed shop it is going to worth it. it is true, "bolt in bars" require almost as much work as to build one. and the speed shop built cage is going to stiffen up your car a lot more. which leads to better et's and lesss body damage from twisting when u launch it. jason@gmachine sounds like he deff knows what hes talking about. and i agree with everything he said

 

[jason@gmachine]

thank you, we do alot of cages and suspensions. We are not just a race shop, we are a metal fabrication race shop only. We do two things very good and those are cage work and suspension. I know what i do best and we stick to it. I spend years studying and perfecting the art before i started the company and now we currently build cages and suspension on a daily basis. I learned from the best in the off-road race and NASCAR fabrication industry and have applied that to my current work. Im the main fabricator so i do the majority of the welding and fabrication as well as the majority of the chassis design.


Jason

 

[VTStang66]

Yeah I was definitely planning to weld it in no matter what I get. I guess I'll try to find a speed shop and see how much they want to do one. Does anybody have any pics of some cages installed in their fastbacks?

 

[68GT500KR_Vert]

check out MME RACING

http://www.mmeracing.com

They are doing my roll bar on my convertible.

Not that far from VT

 

[VTStang66]

68GT500, how much are they charging you for that?

I found some 4 and 8 point cages in Jeg's too for around $130-$150...price is right. How hard could they possibly be to put in?

 

[BullittStangV8]

I think the general belief is that you get your money's worth with a roll bar. Universal kits will fit like universal kits usually. Meaning they wont generally be real snug to the roof/window pillars, ect. Custom cages can be real expensive, but youll get a cage that is made specifically for YOUR car. I guess it just depends on a cash vs. quality vs fit debate. I dont really know the right answer. If I had enough money, it would be a custom made cage no doubt. (I did get a cage custom made, and its awsome. check the link in my sig for the shop).

 

[BullittStangV8]

I just saw they posted a pic of my car! look in the "projects" section. Its an interior shot of a blue mustang. Might give you an example of what you might want.

 

[p0prcksandc0ke]

well i had a roll cage in my 67 coupe and it was to hard to get in and out of the car on how it was placed i reallly had to dukes of hazzards it in and the back seat was impossible to get in but i felt really safe